brrrrrrrrr.... been raining a bit the last few days, not heavy but on and off enough to make our house look like a laundry inside! clothes hanging everywhere there is a place to hang!

sunday down on the fuengirola road there were a couple of nasty accidents, the first we saw on our way down on the same old dodgy corner it always happens with a damp road, a four x four with trailer both on their sides, another car completley busted up ahead of it! and on the next trip past another car, same place, same mess!

we went to la trocha on sunday too, lots of people in the stores and milling around the market stalls, cafes all full, which was good to see.

franco and i are getting ready for our trip away for christmas, a couple of friends of his are over from wales and staying at ours while we are away which has worked out great for both us, and them! free accomodation and house sitting!

paco, friends dog, is still missing, if i could find him, or anyone find him, i can think of no better present for them... but, he has now been gone for three weeks, its a long time, so hopefully he is just settled in with another family and then, one day, they will take him to vets and his chip with tell them he belongs to another family.... who miss him dreadfully...

oh if you wondered about the title of this page, Rhydian would have won if the phone lines hadnt been blocked... immediately after the lines opened his announced the lines are now closed! arh!

its a shame for leon, but rhydian never sung a song badly, he looks a little strange at times, but there is no question of his great talent as a singer... absolutely fantastic... sorry leon but... and i had to delete bits out of this paragraph, unfair views by the majority who are in favor of the rhydler!

The warrior of lightlistens to what his opponent has to say.He only fights if absolutely necessary.Manual of the Warrior of Light

Saturday, December 15, 2007

friend and i went to see the alan ross singers last night, we knew a few of gals singing, and lots of the people watching too, it turned out!

the even was last night and tonight, saturday 15th, at the mirador hotel in alhaurín el grande, beautiful place to hold the event. wonderful suroundings...

lots of carols and hymn's with christmas themes... i didnt do much singing at school, was saving my voice! but got very good at lip sync! so i knew all the words last night from the concentration i used to use at looking at the song sheets way back then!

there were also some solo's songs... tracy, from inland magazine, and of course alan ross who used to work for the bbc back in the uk.

was a very good evening, we also had pizza on our way there!

God is love, generosity and forgiveness;if we believe in this,we will never allow our weaknesses to paralyze us.The Valkyries

Thursday, December 13, 2007

i really should have written this yesterday while it was still clear in my mind... but... its already getting foggy in there, we saw a fantastic program on tv on tuesday evening about the mediterranean and its history etc, and one thing i found out that i never knew is that due to the fact that there is more evaporation exceeds precipitation ... as in not as much water comes back in than leaves it every year and its the water coming in through the straights at gibraltor that keep it going, but still... every two thousand years or so the Med completely dries up!

well give up cant find a photo of it but they also showed these amazing salt mines in sicily formed during the last two thousand dry spell in the med, there is enough salt that it can never run out... they had also built an under ground chapel in these salt mines... all made, of course, in salt!

yesterday in the newspaper shop here they didnt deliver some of the papers.... but it was ok, they sent them in today!?!

No one can avoid defeat.That is why it is better to lose a few battlesin the fight for your dreams than to be defeatedwithout even knowing why you were fighting.By the River Piedra I sat down down and wept.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

not sure how many of you have noticed the new driving laws aqui en españa?from the paper on monday...

the guardia civil arrested 275 drivers in the first five days since the reform of the civil code which penalises traffic infractions came into force at midnight on december 1st. the vast majority, 267 were over the limit when breathalysed and the other eight had been over the speed limit. the first man who was detained in tarragona for speeding just after midnight on december 2nd claimed he was on his way to visit a relative who had been taken to hospital.

five days later, a judge sentenced him to 20 days community work, a fine of 720 euros and an eight-month ban on driving. drink-driving and speeding are responsible for most of the road deaths in spain - so if you drive don't drink, and keep your eye on the speedomoter.

Monday, December 10, 2007

(not our tree above)

anyone buying a house down in the area primed for the new road system around alhaurín should be checking with their lawyer thats theyre not buying now and losing it tomorrow... if you know what i mean... as in an over heard conversation today that means someone will be! please dont let it be YOU!

went down to the miramar parque yesterday now the shops are open on sundays... the mall shopping centres anyway that is. lots of people there us from the uk going like crazy for presents whilst, of course, local people not having to get theirs till january 6th!

the local correo this morning was hell! instead of having stamps and buying them then we stick 'em on out of the way the poor girl has to frank every single item while you wait! aaaaarh!

we really are being lucky with our weather, its still not cold enough that the sweater or light jacket you put on in the early morning is required later on during the day...

The Lord listensto the prayers of thosewho ask to be ableto forget hatred,but is deaf to thosewho want to flee love.The Fifth Mountian

Saturday, December 08, 2007

please please please click on alhaurintoday.com and check out the section down on the left under the heading columns ... then the Podcasts... then... sorry still with me?

then click on and listen to the interview under Polderdot Gals... its all about Fibromyalgia, Bianca actually sounded like me talking about how i am... so now i feel both sad, and glad its getting more air time these days than when i first started suffering back in the late 80's...

Friday, December 07, 2007

quiet in town this morning, but i think most of the local people are having a very long weekend that started yesterday and go on till sunday night!

its the big holiday tomorrow and lots of people are visiting their families in town now the streets were packed by mid day! such a contrast to earlier in the morning! i know... late risers...

my mom has just said that she plans next year when her bus pass in england, which enables her and other pensioners to travel in their own counties free of charge, changes to the whole of the uk for free! and she said her and her mate are going to get on a bus and just go go go...

help! two octogenarians free on the buses... N S E & W! she said she will phone me in the mornings telling me where the next night will be and i can hunt down a bed and breakfast for them... really mom!

here the signs are up at lots of the bins reminding people it is illigal to put anything but house waste in them! no building stuff or furniture etc... its a 600€ fine for dumping here, and to take to the local dump site is only about 5€, maybe 10€ if there is a lot of furniture, much cheaper here than back in blighty, and also, of course you wouldnt dump any thing by the side of the road there so why would you here...

last night i gave in and put up a few christmas decs in the house, just some lights and of course the nativity figures i have had for about 13 years now... no tree...

Thursday, December 06, 2007

what a beautiful day today... its quiet too with so few people out and about, pippa and i left home about 930am and walked down towards the 12 fountains and along the lower road, turning left and heading to the up hill road that skirts around town, passing over the fuengirola crossroads where the tabacconist is on the corner... on wards and up wards along blas enfante and all the way to the park at the top of the veriante and down to the cruz roundabout above!

into the shop for a quick chat and then pippa and i sat down me coffee and water! we were joined by a couple of friends and sat for ages talking and watching the world start to wake up and come past!

we had gone the long way round to search out paco.... but not one stray dog did we see, only the three that belong to the guy who is always after a euro for coffee, and he was sat at the fuengirola crossroads asking each and everyone who went into the shop for money, his dogs crossed over the road infront of traffic to have a word with pippa! but i sent them on their way...

we were gone for just over 3 hours by the time we got home, pippa was tired out, she only sat briefly when offered a bite of someones bacon other than that she stays standing up the silly thing, so she is still asleep on the bed and not looking like moving...

we have all been comenting how warm it is once the suns up and i came home and went up to sit on the terrace, it was only 15 in the shade, the same as london i see just now, but once the sun came up over the town hall and onto me i could really feel it, so i put the thermometer in a better place and it read 33 by the time it reached stopping place, so it was 60/15 and then up to 90/33 not half bad eh!

warmed me up and now i am glowing, its funny how i get more of a tan in any time of the year thats not summer... its just to hot then to sit out in the heat...

photo at top of page is of the cruz roundabout this morning, christmas decs and sunshine...

then the flowers up on our terrace basking in the sunshine... and below the temperature!!!

when its just on the 30 and still on its way up!

and above.... a neighbors washing on the line just now... the water tank and sink is where she does her washing, every day, out side with the cold water in a sink with a wash board ledge just as they have done for way too long... poor ol' gal!

To love is to commune with another personand to discover in him or her a divine spark.By the river piedra i sat down and wept.

Monday, December 03, 2007

cant believe it, friend is home from scotland and found one of their dogs is missing... paco, he went out and about with a few other dogs and hasnt come home, they are frantic, just as i would be if pippa went missing, i wouldnt sleep and would be out walking the streets calling her name!

hopefully someone has taken him in and is feeding and loving him, and one day they might take him to the vets and lo and behold find that he is chipped and belongs to f&a.

will put his photo on here when i get it.

saturday franco and i went down to fuengirola to get his second pair of glasses... sun glasses for driving etc, and we went to the dunnes at miramar parque, it was so busy there couldnt believe it, saw a couple of ladies from alhaurín there.

and yesterday we went down to calahonda to run some errands and on the way home franco drove us around the new urbanisations down behind nora golf down at la cala, we were lost in those there hills for about an hour... at one point coming back down to civilization at the junction under the toll road where the girl in tub fountain is... and thats in riviera! so now we know you can drive all the way to calahonda without touching the careterra 340 if needs must, an accident etc. we drove back up the way we had come and back out by the golf course, and home!

saturday evening we went to dinner with friends, a small dinner party... very posh eh! it was a lovely evening and when we got in the car to come home, franco was the designated driver this time! we found it was ten past one! hadnt noticed the time going at all! and then we didnt get up till so late sunday....

ok got photo.... let me up load on here... paco is on the left above... the longer haired dog, he is only young and about knee high, very friendly little fella...

all the christmas lights are up now in town so i must get some shots of them in the night, in the dark...

i have just got totally addicted to an on line crossword puzzle thing, its great! it was, it is, on facebook under human pets section and there i was doing a crossword with all the other people, great fun, took all my strength to leave it alone... ok that shows how weak i am!

True love allows each personto follow his or her own pathaware that doing so can never drive them apart.Brida

Friday, November 30, 2007

another week gone... weather has been good this week, cooler but out in the sun very very lovely.

although i have carried my para aqua about with me all week, washing in still drying up on the terrace so cant be bad.

news of a new alhaurín el grande by pass is top topic this week, think i must pop up to the town hall and check out the plans.

just google map'ed the area, so many peoples lovely homes and land, although i am not certain exactly where the road is going except for the 404 bit, and its not even a case of the money compensation is it, if you have a blooming great road going past your window when you thought you lived well away from all the traffic... but...

but... the trouble is although there are many many people whose properties are going to be effected, and of course those of iligal build wont get any compensation at all, the but is that there are also thousands and thousands of new properties going up in coín and alhaurín, there is also plans on the horizon of that theme park over at de la torre, and the road infrastructure as it is now cannot take another 2 or 3 thousand more cars a day, can you imagine on our little 'B' roads that are now sliding away beneath our tires!

the road we really need to have sorted out is our road down to fuengirola isnt it? 'they' are supposed to start work soon and take 18 months to get that fixed up, put in a slow lane, or is that an overtaking lane i mean!

check out the alhauríntoday.com site there on the right to see all the news about the proposed by pass... of course... it may never happen anyway!

Anyone who lovesneeds to know both how to lose himselfand how to find himselfBy the river piedra i sat down and wept

Monday, November 26, 2007

this evening as the sun sets beyond these mountains the cloud is pulling through the gaps...

terrible news here today in alhaurín someone we all know in town has passed over so unexpectedly and so so young. all i can say is our thoughts are with his family at such a sad time, especially just before christmas too.

A warrior of light knowsthat he will hear an order in thesilence of his heart that will guide him.Manual of the warrior of light

Saturday, November 24, 2007

lots of rain this week... yesterday, friday was the only day it was dry i think, its been just drizzly stuff up here in alhaurín the odd hard pour but mainly just drizzle... on the coast they have had the hard stuff!

walked into town this morning popped into the shop for a quick chat and a coffee! there was no one out side of any of the bars this morning... i still think its nice to get out even if it is wet, the air is clear and the colors different and in the house its even darker so out side is good to me! also needed my shredded wheat, ended up at the super sol, couple of other places were way over priced... why!?!

yesterday i felt better too, for three whole days i was having a real bad total joint flare up, agony and a headache to match, too many pain killers and muscle tablets to count, went to bed hoping i would be better in the morning and yesterday i was, i felt so much better people commented i looked happy about something... it was just i wasnt in so much pain people!

also yesterday friend and i went to the new ikea at last.... yeah... swedish meatballs with gravy and cranbury sauce... oh so yummy.... and the restaurant was set out exactly the same as the one in wembly london, i almost felt if i had walked out i would have been in london! only about 20 degrees warmer here i know!

i forget to say... had wonderful doughnuts at last last week, and no not from tesco back ol blighty, but from taylors bakery up on avenida de la libertad, they were fantastico still warm and the jam was perfecto!

also forget to mention i think.... taking the hire car back to malaga airport for out trip to england last wednesday evening, i followed signs for car rental and parked the car, hefted out moms heavy case locked the car and we walked over to the office to find a sign saying sorry car rentals now in another car park on another level!! would have good to have seen a sign on entering the car park telling this news, so back to car, back in with case and off in search of rentals drop off point, found some signs which did.... eventually lead us to the right place which by then i was a little grumpy to say the least, and very probably appeared as a rude customer, so what can i say!

when mom and i had had enough of duty free and coffee and cakes we walked down stairs towards the departure area, only three weeks ago i had done the same prior to my week holiday, walking down the stairs, past the seating, past the newish small duty free shop on the corner before turning right and walking up the slope to the small two man office of passport control...

well we came to the shop on the corner and two things happened, a man in one of those little cars pulled up and welcomed us on board, mom on the back me up front with him, he drove us through a new corridor to a different and new passport control, taking our passports and the electronic doors opened for us.... through we went and he dropped us off at the shop near the gates... fantastic, he must have thought we looked very very tired... i guess!

oh, so the second thing that happened i suppose was that i realised afterwards that the route up to the departures had changed, but it all happened so quick i'm not sure how it is now!

now i was going to pop a photo of doughnuts at the tops... googled some pics and came across this little golden nugget... so have linked to it as what the lady say here is so funny... i want to share with you...

only now i want a doughnut and i will leave you all with this sweet sticky thought...

Perhaps love makes us grow old before out timeand makes us young again when youth has passed.By the river piedra i sat down and wept.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

have i really not blogged since last wednesday? and this afternoon i have a bit of a head ache.... so a quick catch up eh... well mom and i flew back to luton, england, left late, a man came off the plane and lit up a cigerette... idiot! still on the walk way, and so illigal, by all the signs and of course the people who have usually just told you prior to landing no smoking or mobile phones till etc etc... anyway he wouldnt put it out so the police were called and he was arrested!! probably deported out on the next plane!

we landed more or less on time though, as usual, and were met by one friend on mine to take mom home and tony and steph for me! steph had coffee... which was much appreciated by me as easy jet had none on the flight at all! what was that all about, no coffee on a late evening flight...

anyway it was freezing, literally, as we came out of the airport, and me only with my hand bag, felt very strange... back to tonys and he made a bit of dinner, which we ate nearly midnight, went to bed about an hour later, i was so tired but in a way didnt want to sleep knowing we would just get up and go back to the airport again...

which we did at five am... i was tucked up in stephs duvet on the back seat as they scraped all the ice off, quick journey to luton and they dropped me off and in i walked straight up the stairs to the xray machines and through into departures... no long line up for me and just my hand bag and pre printed boarding pass which set me up for the 'A' group to board, ok as we didnt need to ride a bus as pretty pointless otherwise, like wise the speedy boarding group and elderly plus children sections ahead of us! now there is only the 'B' group that follows A, no C and D anymore... whats going to happen though soon? will there be the 'more speedy boarding' section do you think?

i had friends pick me up when i landed about 11am... thank goodness was a bit tired and felt very jet lagged after two flights within 12 hours, didnt even see daylight in england!

back to work on friday... bit dyslexic but ok, felt like i had had a migrane all day, but no thats today, so sorry if any or most of this makes no sence whatsoever.... ok ok no change there then!!

also meant to tell you... no sunday market at la trocha at the moment.... but the wednesday is definately on ok! which is brilliant...

saturday just a walk to town... colored my hair, again, only did it a month ago but it was far to dark and too red for me, so did the job again, this time two colors and it looks much softer on my face... i think!

sunday franco and i got a couple of gas bottles, but had to hunt them down, now its getting cooler theyre in much more demand and we wanted two for the two gas fires...

it is getting cooler now by evening and night, its down to about 20 - 22, feels nice in the sun sitting at bar rosa... relaxing... but in the house now its cool got my fluffy slippers out this evening when i went through my summer winter clothes, swapping there position in the big old wooden box they live in in alternative seasons, and once again, i find myself putting the same summer clothes away unworn, well some of them, ones i just cannot throw or pass on, i know its silly... so maybe next spring when they leave the box they will leave me too.... or maybe not eh!!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

well off to england tonight to get mom home and then back again in the morning! traveling light no cases only my hand bag! going to feel strange coming back into malaga airport and just walking out... so therefore i am packed already with gloves and scalf! and only to change into a warm sweater and boots...

tony is collecting me from luton, and bringing me back there 7 hours later... nice eh! and another friend is collecting mom for me to take her back to her house.

just seen in this months Inland magazine a chap talking about setenil de las bodagas... wonder if he read it here first! remember tuesday october 9th

cant believe i am having to take this ka (car) back to the airport with half a tank! and they will top it up and have the cheek to charge another 45€ to the next person!

going to put a new link in for 106.8 Ace FM over there in my links section too if i can.

ok, adios amigos....

Anyone who lovesin the expectation of being loved in returnis wasting their time.The devil and miss prym

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

they showed lots of people in new york doing their christmas shopping especially with the dollar to pound ratio... they also told how customs have legal rights to your credit card on entry back into england to make sure you havent spent more than the 200 pounds allowance... so, no wearing those new clothes home now you hear!

but back in london... the inner london charges what are they 8pounds a day? if you go into the center every day thats a lot of money, but apparently there are people registering their vehicle as a mini cab and only have to pay 26 pounds a month! on the list of mini cabs are two seater sports cars, mercedes, bmw's etc, vehicles that have no intention of being used as cabs! who has these clever ideas i ask...

today mom and i went to fuengirola, spoke to snr lorenzo who was our land lord when we first arrived here in spain, saw a few people from alhaurín too!

we also went into el corte ingles in las lagunas on way home, bit tired by then...

had a record played for me on the local radio station this morning!... that was very nice surprize, thank you tim! although i went to pieces and the till showed over 500€ to pay back to the customer ooooops!

but it was one of those days today, mishaps on till, leaky coffee cup, saw a few near accidents on way down to coast, nothing unusual there i know but we watched with horror as we could see the man in front over taking a truck and we could also see a vehicle pulling out from a side road in front of the truck to come in our direction, that would have been a very nasty head on collision had the man not braked hard and pulled back in behind the truck! idiota!

but it is tuesday 13th, and here in spain this is the unlucky date and day, not a friday!

In love lies the seed of our growth,The more we love,the closer we are to spiritual experience.By the river piedra i sat down and wept.

Monday, November 12, 2007

after work this morning mom and i went to ronda, took a long time today, stuck behind one truck then another round those rocky mountain twists and turns... took nearly an hour and half!

the shops were shutting when we arrived so went to have lunch in our favorite restaurant, with the andalucian courtyard, i had the gazpacho soup, followed by meat in tomato sauce with potatoes and flan for desert... the only problem with the wonderful place is they dont have coffee!! i know unbelievable isnt it!

we had a wonder around the few open shop, walked over the tajo above and took these photos from the newest look out point.

above the wonderful parador hotel...

and finally above this huge material is covering a section of new building to the left of the parador, or the right of course from where we were standing...

took an 40 minutes to get back to coín where we shopped in mercadona and then home, so an hour travelling time coming home thank goodness... this little ford Ka really shifts!

Saturday... mom and i went down to the dunnes down at miramar parque area of fuengirola, it was so crowded with theyre get 3 pay for 2 thingy... i think we got the last car park space at the time we arrived, and inside it was a jumble of people grabbing and pushing and going crazy!

we had already been to the miramar itself and after dunnes went up to mijas for lunch, had to go to a different restaurant, our usual was closed, but it meant that we sat somewhere different, seeing a new outlook on the pueblo, a church i actually hadnt been in, until after lunch that is! and i had a massive plate of wonderful fried squid, the baby ones tenticles and all! beautiful!

Sunday... no market at la trocha, so not sure whats happening i better find out before the end of the week i think to let you all know! mom and i went to the garden center for a coffee and went into a shop near alhaurín golf to buy some fruit and veg, its a house with shop inside just by the side of the road, i remember years ago they used to have everything in boxes by the side of road...

Friday, November 09, 2007

two more photo's of rodin... two more of the thinker... of course!

today... we just got home and found mom had shut pippa in the cave when she left this morning! my poor baby, at least its not too hot or too cold... but six hours on the cold floor and no water... i know i know shes 'just' a dog, and most spanish dogs are out in the cold all day and all night!

we went to the bajondillo paseo today, popping into plaza major as with barry, but no lunch there, we called tony, as last time, but this time he was at work, and i got him to check out that web cam link over there on the right side of my page... under links...

and yes he could see mom and i!!! i know very very sad!

then we had lunch, i had ensalada pulpo, (squid salad), and mom had tuna, the two cokes were 2.50€ each, out of the tap and it came to nearly 20€, oh these coastal prices.... and there were only a few touristas about to catch!

mom and i then went to the marina at benalmadina, saw a couple of friends from alhaurín, the lady at first not recognising me, i think she thought i wanted to sell something! had a chat then when we turned to go he jokingly called out... i dont want to buy a holiday!!! when they passed us later he came over to say sorry! at the same time i did the same thing making so many people look over! it was only afterwards i thought i should have said... look i am not giving you my autograph!... that would have been fun!

now... thats the first week with new people in shop and it has gone really well, i suppose we were all feeling a bit strange, but its been fine.

oh cant up load images at the moment, so will just tell you about the day!

work ok, still feeling bit strange settling in with new folk... i suppose too for them especially as my friend is still there too when she owned the shop, not sure if she will be in tomorrow...

then mom and i went to malaga on the bus to see the rodin sculptures in the old town, calle lario, bus ride ok, better than yesterday when we went to fuengirola, think i am getting bus sickness! well travel sickness!

we walked to the town centre stopping for coffee in the larios centre first on our way, then over the river into the historical centre of malaga...

we found the sculptures easily enough and i took lots of photos, i will up load them when i can, i took all the angles of 'the thinker' so will show them one each day!

we then went to collect a rental car from the airport, i only booked it last night on the internet and waited to receive the info for today, it only came this morning before i left work, so a good thing i wasnt arriving by plane! no print out no car!

we got the airport bus and stopped right by the car rental office opposite the san miguel factory, good thing the bus stopped there otherwise it would have been a long walk from the stop in the terminal! the info said to collect the car from down stairs after getting your baggage, ok if your actually landing i suppose! so i phoned ahead and they told me to go to the office... we did!!

mom found it a bit difficult getting up the slope from the road, alright the bus stopping but no path and no easy route for getting up onto the other road, anyway i pulled her up and there was the office...

they wouldnt take moms visa as it was a debit card also, that would have been interesting had we just landed and not had another card to use, and a polite sorry we dont take debit visa would also have been nice, not the rude way he refused the card, this wasnt mentioned on their internet site either! and the promised full tank of fuel was also not there after paying over 45€ for it! i suppose i should have gone back in the office, but the mood i was in by then seemed a little pointless, if we hadnt been at the airport i would have just walked anyway, but there we were stuck otherwise!

Sunday, November 04, 2007

la trocha market was back on today folks... shame not many turned up? i spoke to the market man friday who didnt know till later if it was going to be on, so maybe it was just a little late in getting the info out!

there was no signs to say it was even open when we arrived and there were only a few stalls, and a few people looking, we were quite early so hopefully more turned up after we left.

ok today i have a little item, its called the price comparison section...

and today on the shelf we have shredded wheat, a british breakfast cereal.

super sol supermarket sell a 12 pack for approx 4€ 22centsdunnes supermarket section 18 pack for approx 4€50 cents, still not bad considering 6 extra in their pack!and today i saw an 18 pack for 6€20... are they having a laugh or what? i was having histerics, we actually popped in to look for dog food, which i also decided against buying in there for that price!

i guess i should remind those of us from the uk it costs 1.57 for an 18 pack of shredded wheat in tesco, which equals 2€ 25, so thats an extra 2 euros in the spanish shops, but an extra 4 euros!!! now i know it has to be shipped and taxes paid, but these people are not buying it from the supermarkets, it comes from a warehouse at a cheaper price and to charge 6.20 for it for drives me crazy!

ok thats good i feel better now, now what shall i pick on next week, coffee maybe, its only just 4€ in mercadona for a big jar of nescafe so i will have to search out the high prices around the area...

He who loves has conquered the worldand has no fear of losing anything.True love is an act of total surrender.By the river piedra i sat down and wept.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

poor little chap eh, took this photo when barry was over and this praying mantis was minus a leg!

and this was barry taking a photo of me, of course doing the same!

town seems different since i have returned home, quieter, a little cooler, and just different, cant put my finger on it somehow...

into work tomorrow, which will be different, the place the same, the stock the same, but new people coming in and my buddy leaving...

everything in the shop will continue on as usual, so the customers shouldnt have need to worry... me on the other hand?...

and i have a sore throat and ear ache so thats fun, maybe i brought this back from england, so many people had colds, and i heard on the tv this how you have 4 times as much chance of catching a cold on a plane than elsewhere!

did i tell you one of tonys friends 'did' my nails for me? they lasted me through carrying the baggage, no small feat, but last night lost one openig the refrigerator... on the radio, in the uk... questionasked what is frigophobia? answer is afraid of the cold, makes sence spanish cold is frio! and just came across this absolutely useless item!

True love does not consistof trying to correct others,but of feeling joythat things are better than we expected.Unpublished (2005 diary)

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

i am back from blighty... very tired, mom and i got up about 3am this morning, left the house just before 4am and by 5am were sat in the departures lounge of luton airport, seems i am too tired to type and making more typos than typing at the moment!

few photos here taken in hemel hempstead, on my way to friends house....and yes, this is a milk float, didnt know they still had them over there... tony who was with me thought i was totally crazy for taking this photo!

we were waiting for steph at a mcdonalds near the m25...

tomorrow i will catch up with my trip and tell you everything i did...

for now its, good to be home, missed my honey, and pippa too of course, but as usual, hated leaving tonys and friends... it hurts so bad that 'leaving' feeling... and being so tired not helping, so hasta pronto mis amigos...

Thursday, October 25, 2007

tuesday evening we went to a pub quiz in chiswell green, not too far from st albans, was a good evening, us and three others, friends of tonys... we scored 35, the winners were 45 and second 40, so we didnt do too bad i guess!

yesterday... went to berkhamsted to see moms new place, its great, much bigger than her last home, and the area is quiet, she has some garden, its absolutely great, she feels much more at home here than before...

we then went to aylesbury, coffee in costas, of course, had a chat with a customer from the mercedes dealership i used to work for, popped in to see lisa at work, and looked around lots of shops!

then i ran into the above dealership to see another mate, surprised her a bit, she thought i was arriving next week! then.... off to the retail park, mom had a short list of things she needed which we got most of, then to tesco for lunch!, few groceries... made lasagna for tony... dropped mom off at her place and then me back home to tonys.

today... drive to bedford, about 45 minutes more or less, wasnt sure exactly which way to go and google mapped it, used the close up hibred version, that way when i went there today it all looked familiar!!

mate and i had a good afternoon, i met her at another mercedes-benz dealership... and she drove us to pub for lunch and then to her new house the other side of bedford, a lovely new house, its only 18 months old and in a nice quiet spot.

then we came back into bedford and stopped in the town for coffee and bit of a walk about the shops before she took me back to my car and then i was off again, it took an hour and quarter to back with all the extra traffic at that time...

tony has gone out now for the evening... i have had dinner and now i am going to sit back and relax...

well i cant find a quote or a short poem i really like today, feel lost without my books back home to quote from, so again as yesterday it shall be...adios amigos from me!

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

i can especially as tonys keyboard keys are not in the same place as ours in spain!

flight was ok, on time leaving, although we thought it was going early, arrived on time, but it was like travelling in a doctors surgery, just about everyone had a streaming cold, and i mean streaming... why cant people blow instead of sniff... and sniffing every ten seconds... was driving me crazy, wanted to hit the family sitting behind me with a box of kleenex!!!

hire car is nice, a little black corsa, i look a real girl racer in it, ok... maybe not girl eh... and was kinda nice driving to st albans so late/early, 3 in the morning and some ground mist rising over the fields occasionally over the roads, not many cars, a fox who ran infront and then watched me from the other side of the road on a grassy bank as i pasted him by... then there he was the ever faithfull milkman on his delivery so early... was just like the old days LOL...

it was freezing when i arrived at luton airport, and i mean freezing, i was shivering and you could see my breath... fingers numb in seconds, i got pins and needles in them when i got to tonys and they started coming back to life!

this morning there was a beautiful white frosting all over everything! the sky in blue and the sun has shone all day, not a cloud in the sky... would be nice if it stayed that way.. oh just remembered i meant to buy an ice scraper for the car tomorrow morning!

ok off to relax now, spent morning walking around the city with janette, in and out of lots of shops, had my costa coffee... and then a second cup of coffee made with cinnamon in an moroccan restuarant we went into last time...

Sunday, October 21, 2007

here are a few photos from the feria at fuengirola last saturday, above is a cage like contraption, five seperate cages, people locked in from outside, and up it went....

this is it up at the top, it just went round and round one way, stopped and went round and round the other with the people hanging on inside for dear life!!

this the view looked down an aisle and up at the hanging decorations...

well... my honey is back from gales as of friday and barry is back to nottingham... really didnt think i would cry at the airport... and he went straight through after we lined up with him to check in, then he had hugged me and turned to walk away and my eyes were leaking.... oh heck!

and from then it would be only 36 hours before i will be back at malaga airport for my flight to luton, collecting my car around 3am, nice eh, short drive to st albans where i will have woken up tony to let me in!!!

yesterday we three went down to fuengirola, left home about 1030, stopped off in mijas for lunch on way home and was nearly five when we got home, pippa has been so naughty these last few days, she hates it when we're out and leave her at home, if only one of us is in and goes out she is fine!

thursday barry and i went to plaza major, an area full of restaurants really, there are a few shops, but if shopping is your thing this is not the place to go!

we had lunch in a mariachi restaurant, which was really good, had a little wander around and found the cinema there, they have regular movies and imax, absolutely fantastic, check out the site there...

we then went to the bajondillo area of torremolinos, i had to check out this web cam that is on my link there on the right... and yes there it was, although the chances of anyone actually having been there to see me would have been pretty far fetched!

so next time i am going there i will mention it!

i hope barry had a good time, we didnt really do much, just spent time together which is the important thing, i always feel i have to go here there and everywhere and keep everyone entertained, i know when mom is here we can do all the shopping stuff... and go see something in malaga which will be there for a short while...

rodin sculptures... amazing eh... mom will like to see these i know, i dont think barry would have especially impressed! i used to have 'the thinker' in a photo frame when i was a teenager... (ok, i know bizarre).

ok, too many links for one day, so, amigos, hasta luego, i will be in touch from england...

When we love,it is not necessary to understandwhat is happening outside,because everything begins to happen inside us instead.The Alchemist

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

five minutes blog today folks... apart from the computer on a go slow with the many windows and activity going on on here with barry at the moment... lets see... world of warcraft... a few chat windows on msn.... team speak, thats something to do with the WWW above...

so today after work baz and i went to la trocha and the rastro, lots of stalls on the lower level as you enter the shopping centre on the car park level, then lots up stairs, not everyone turned out as promised with their stalls, a shame considering the amount of people who had turned up to buy buy buy, or at least check it out, all the restuarants were full to bursting, the shops all had people in, this is an amazing thing for la trocha, its always quiet... always!

saw lots of people from the shop, was really good...

then we went down to miramar parque, i was on a mission for a eufesa coffee pot...

Saturday, October 13, 2007

well things did not go as smoothly as intended yesterday! franco and i arrived at airport at about ten to twelve, parked in the new and very much improved P1, we parked there before, but it wasnt quite finished, well now, it seems more finished but you have to go against the arrows to get about which is a bit confusing, not for those who generally go against them i suppose... you must know who you are!!!

anyway, i digress as usual, we got to the line up for the cardiff flight back to gales, (wales), it was half hour before the desk was due to open but i think everyone who was getting on the flight was already there!

after franco had checked in we went to have a coffee, we always go to the restaurant down past the gallery we have here at malaga airport, we then took a tour of the all new terminal one section, this was the only part when i first started coming here twenty years ago, and it was a far far different thing from what is here now! apart from all the check ins, the bars, there is also a nice outside area, for that last minute sun for those poor souls leaving our beautiful country!

so we checked out where barry would be coming in, it said on the flight info on the net he would be landing at T1, as he has before coming from nottingham, and usually i had always walked out side and along the crowded walkways to the main door of arrivals.

then... back to T2 and saw franco through to the other side and he was gone...

then... i walked back to T1 and sat and waited, barry had landed and i had only to wait for him to walk through from baggage.... then i got his text saying he was bored of waiting and was going home!!! yes you guessed he landed at T2!

what will it be like when we have T3 opened too! no different from heathrow and gatwick i suppose eh!

earlier yesterday franco and i went to la trocha and barry wanted eats so we went there on our way back too!

when we got home pippa got a bit confused, i suppose being so low to the ground with us walking in with a case as we had left, she thought it was franco then realised her mistake and started barking! but not for long and now she is sitting outside his bedroom door wining for him to get up... she may have a long wait...

No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.The devil and miss prym

Thursday, October 11, 2007

sorry this picture is so strange, we were walking up to the restaurant at the top of some very high steps... and i held the camera facing upwards so you could see what was above us as we walked these steps!

this is one of the many cave bars....

and this last one, for today, was taken after we had eaten at the restaurant under the toldo on the left there...

narrow street there for so many cars and the many motor bikes that came down it, so lots to watch and take in sat there, so many tourists too, just like us!

although i must check first, but i am sure i saw a local from here in alhaurín el grande, a guy we see every single day in the town, mooching around with the 'ol guys, but strangely i havent seen him all week! so maybe it was him and he is holiday'ing up there in setenil de las bodagas!

(barry is here tomorrow - yipeeeeee)

A warrior knows that the endsdo not justify the means.Manual of the warrior of light

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

i took so many photos of setenil, the one above is the main street! the one you have to come down to park... and the one thats used for the market, which was why when tony and i came on market day, there was no where to park! running through the town is the river there on the right, and there are bridges joining the two main streets together, bit like venice... but not!

this shot is the house from yesterday... how close is that up stairs window from the rock! no view of course, or even much light, i thought the mountain behind our house was close, at about 10 foot, but is soooooo much closer!

apparently.... you can ask to go into the house!! well thats what it said on one of the internet sites we read... and although franco was trying to peer into every single house, no one asked us in!

The search for happiness is purely personaland not a model we can give to others.The Pilgrimage

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

what an amazing street... have you ever seen such a thing? that window in the house on the left opens right into the mountain!

there was a small amount of water running through this river bed... the water was running away from us, and i suppose because of where we live and where the sea is in relation to us, it seemed to be running up hill.... very strange!

ok now... a whole week gone... where to i ask??

well working backwards... today i worked till 2pm, then we ladies lunched! we tried a different restaurant today, a chinese all the way up the other end of town, the la peñita end, so long walk home for me! we had menu del dia which was 5.50€ i think, no more, which is very good. and lots of it too, a little too much for lunch, so thats it for me today food wise.

especially as i had a migrane yesterday.... lots of contributions to that i think, our car had broken down on saturday evening so i had to sort that out, went into work, then had to walk all the way back to the car which was abandoned on the outskirts of town, infact anyone coming into alhaurín on the fuengirola road would have passed our car over the weekend!

so i got to it, phoned the grua and he phoned me a couple of times as he couldnt find me! not helped by my lack of spanish especially over the phone where i can hardly speak english when my car breaks down, not sure why, always been the same, registration number and any details seem to excape me completely!

so, car on back of truck and towed.... lets see about 300 metres to the garage, yes believe me if i could have pushed it up the road a way and turned a right and a left i would have, but its all up hill!

anyway, car fixed not any great problem, apparently we shouldnt have steam cleaned the engine a few weeks back, a wire had come off, anyway its back on the road, pippa and i went to collect it this afternoon.

but, after the car business i came home and my head was pounding and all the other symptoms so off to bed, where i stayed till i got up this morning... great!

sunday we were out all day, friends wanted to see setenil, above, so they drove and we were in the back, i got a draft on my neck and lots of walking, but i got some really good photos, i will add to them tomorrow.

A threat need not provoke a responseif it is not taken up.The Pilgrimage

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

what news do i have today? the market in la trocha is coming back end of the month, but first starting in a couple of weeks it will also be held on a wednesday actually in the mall up stairs! which is great, its to show the retail shop owners that the presence of the market traders do not effect the shops!

and if it turns out well, the wednesday market will continue along with the sunday one down stairs in the car park! muy excelente!

still no sellos in the post office, francobolli in italian...checked out the translation for that... wait till franco comes home - does he know his name is part of the word for stamp! but now in italy is there a short form for francobolli? is it bolli? now boli in spain is short for boligrafo - pen, as in biro pen!

ok now that your all very confused....

today it looks like it might rain, the forcast says showers for today and tomorrow so we shall see, its still quite warm though, high 20´s so with the cloud cover its humid again.

i came across a spanish learning course on another site yesterday and as i write i keep thinking in spanish, is this good i wonder or a sign of a migrane where my head gets all mixed up!

my mom keeps coming up with reasons for not having her trip out here at the end of the month, first her house move, now the high dental bill, but i wonder if she just does not want to travel, although i will be with her on her outward bound journey maybe she is worrying about going home alone, i am not keen on flying alone now, so maybe at nearly 80 i can understand her feelings.

well today i just seem to be rambling so time to relax now with another program on antiques and a nice milky coffee... what would go down really nice with it would be a tesco's jam doughnut! all that lovely strawbury jam inside and sticky sugar.... yummy, good thing i am not in england just now or i would be on my way down to the supermarket for a whole bag of them fresh and still warm from their bakery!

Friday, September 28, 2007

a few photos i took last night, above the roman columns in front of the ayuntamiento (town hall), to the right and...

here the view to the left... where this greenary bit is, i am sure used to be a way down into the tunnels, but i dont seem to know anyone else who knows this but me... so maybe i have made this up! my furtive imagination and all that!

this i actually took the evening before from our roof terrace... so beautiful isnt it... now its getting a little cooler at night the skys are becoming clearer and the heat mists rising, we can see further again....

today we had a little rain, just a few spits and spots... after work friends and i went down to fuengirola, parked at the port and had a bite of light lunch in luiz´s bar along the paseo maritimo, then we popped into the big dunnes store at the miramar area on our way back up to alhaurín...

did i mention recently we still have no stamps in the local post office? i didnt? well we dont!

also i didnt win the lottery last week! what i hear you exclaim why not, well out of the six previous weeks we won four times! not much obviously, i may have mentioned that earlier... or would i!! just a little would be nice señor lotteria angel... por favor...

i have heard my magic tablets coming from the states are on theyre way to me now... i think... no i know, i would much rather they work than all the money in the world...

God judges a treeby its fruits and not by its rootsManual of the warrior of light

Sunday, September 23, 2007

this view above was of the tower near the bp garage on the outskirts of alhaurín el grande this morning, it was about 10am and the clouds were low of the sierra de mijas... spooky isnt it!

we were on our way down to tivoli world in torremolinos, it was the start of the sunday rastro back there, the rides were quiet and we were amongst the first in when it opened at 11am... not as many stalls there as usual, but then it may take a few weeks before people know its back...

this photo i took from the restaurant we were having breakfast it... 9.70 € for two bocadillos! scandalous! would be half that price in our town! or even at the local garden centre... we´re not tourists you know! ¡vivimos aqui! humph!

while we were sitting here the rides started up very slowly, but still seemed like a ghostly funfair... couldnt see anyone working them, just moving slowly by themselves....

then... on our way home we stopped on in mijas pueblo, and here above is part of a small army of ants... see that large leaf the chap at the top is carrying upwards! amazing isnt it!

and of course true to form i have taken a photo of the cats there are always on the roof tiles of the library.. look! tres gatos negro... three black cats!

thursday night friday morning we had a terrific storm, about 4 or 5 hours of thunder lightening and rain, the storm must have covered a large area as the thunder was on top of us and also could be heard some miles away.... not many of us slept much that night.

then friday going into work i used my para aqua... brolly... for the first time, but still its warm, so i joined the league of locals with summer clothes and umbrella held high! the rain was intermitent, but the thunder and lightening continued, for about an hour before i left the house, there were flashes of white every five or ten minutes i thought it was me! then so many of the customers said about it in the shop i knew it was just a weird storm thing going on!

between 10 and 11 a big storm came back into town, but here in alhuarín we had only rain, well at least in the town, but not so far away in coín and down to the coast they had hail stones the size of golf balls, ruining cars and breaking trees and property.

a man died in jaen, (up and to the left from granada) he was outside gardening, the hail storm hit and so suddenly he had no time to get cover and was killed! also two people left their car, maybe thinking it safer, but although the damaged car was found... they are still missing...

Each moment spent searchingis also a moment spend finding.The Alchemist

Thursday, September 20, 2007

more puppys in the shop... arent they so cute! `daddy´wanted to remain anonymous!

i had a shock in the shop today... no really... a shock from a piece of equipment... hurt like crazy and i went deaf for a while, really weird feeling and took a while for my heart beat to settle again, its normally so slow so when it beats fast makes my head swim...

after getting over the migrane i had for nearly two days over monday evening through tuesday, i now feel a bit dyslexic... actually had to ask franco the right word just now, couldnt get it right to write it down never mind spell it, so i think this better be short but sweet today as i am correcting more mistakes (than usual) than i am typing what i want to say! humph!

yesterday afternoon i took a book up on the terrace to catch some sun, just realised i am going to england in a little over a month and dont even have a sun tan!! cant be having that! the amount of people that comment on my lack of a tan when i am there... i know i know... pretty sad isnt it, but i got a little sun and it was nice now sitting up there, where we cannot go in july and august because its too hot, it was about 33 or so yesterday and very nice too, but today its been really humid again, and a few drops of rain early this morning that came to nothing... i expect its holding on for barry arrival here!

To attain his dream,the warrior of light needs a strong willand an enormous capacity for acceptance.Manual of the Warrior of Light

Monday, September 17, 2007

here is a picture of my friends grand daughter krystal on the seat of their land lords cart, it looks like a picture taken a hundred years ago apart from the car and red dress of the lady walking away doesnt it?

its a sight we see a lot of here in alhaurín or even the dry river bed on the way up to here from fuengirola, and yes you can still hear donkeys braying along with the hens clucking, and then there are the men going off to work early with a bag and a pick! although the latter are usually on either a very noisy moped or an even noisier worlds smallest tractor!

just done moms shopping for her... like my mercadona delivery she has her tesco back there in merry ol´england, thats what i used to do when i lived there, but it does seem strange still seeing whats on the shelves back there, for instance moms washing up liquid with lime and ginger! i asked her was she going to wash up with it or use if for a marinade!

it also shows everything she has ever bought in the shop, because she uses her tesco points card, so i can see if she had too many naughty foods... bless her, she doesnt have big brother watching her every move she has her daughter looking into her food shopping from another continent!

still warm here today, bit cloudy but been 33c/91.4f... and i know we shall soon be moaning about the cold i guess...

Each person is different and each one will reach Godby his or her own path.`Certainty, choice and doubt´

Saturday, September 15, 2007

well that seeeems to be the rain for now... i think! although its supposed to rain all of october, but we shall see, hope not barry is out here then! i know he prefers the weather cool but not sure torrential rain is quite the right thing for a holiday in spain for him!

the evenings are getting a little cooler now, we havent had the ceiling fan on upstairs to help us sleep for last couple of nights, although still on down stairs and it has been over 30 today here in alhaurín, the clouds were low over the town this morning coming from over the sierra de mijas, we were off to the coast and had to clean the car first as the tree we had parked under had leaked what looked like glue or latex all over it, thought it was the birds at first but nope its the sap from the trees horrible stuff that wouldnt even wash off, we will have to get some cleaner on it.

we went down to miramar on the edge of fuengirola, then to the `aki´ the do it yourself store at miramar parque for some wood, building on the terrace... then to a shoe shop for franco! then to el corte ingles... and a final stop off at the garden centre on the outskirts of alhaurín! phew was a real day out and about!

took pippa down the vets this morning she needs her front paws nails clipped, they are far too long and i dont want to risk doing them myself and going to far. we were too early so i think i will go again in the morning for her.

looks like the date of october 21st is still on for the return on the trocha market in coín on that sunday, no other venue in the mean time.

had our mercadona delivery yesterday, i will take a photo of him one day... ok! just feels a bit weird asking him to pose for me!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

photos tony took when he was here in may last year, always a fantastic sight to be seen here in alhaurín of the may parade at night... we were standing on the wall of these steps and got caught...

we had no where to go and no means of escape and so stayed put and had these bands men playing right here where we were!

**********************************

rained last night for a little while and this morning a little more, although on my way into town and back i didnt need my brolly, so we have at last had a little rain, it cleared the air a little but in work it felt just as warm.

i mistakenly wore a shirt today, not even short sleeved just capped sleeve, but was too hot, for some reason i saw rain and thought coooooooooool! bit of a throw back from living in england where rain means cool most of the time, and shade isnt just out of the sun but out of the heat too!

so now we may not need to water the plants today but they are filthy dirty all sploshed with reddy brown dirt, cars the same and of course all the paint work everywhere!

franco negotiated lots of bad drivers this morning going down the fuengirola road from here, we all know that when it rains after a long hot spell the roads are oily and greasy and far from safe, but as usual the people coming out of alhaurín drove just the same normal mad crazy way, over taking at every turn and bend and so passing my franco taking his time as he does, he came across them soon in pile ups all the way down the road! crashed into eachother and into the deep gullys by the side of the road, not helping was a truck that just couldnt get up the road on a certain famous bend, load to heavy road to steep with a bad camber and he couldnt make it, so overtaking cars coming up the road were overtaking on a blind right hand bend and... of course... meeting with the cars coming down at high speed!

police were there already and thanked franco for helping some of the drivers out of their cars, so serious injurys... today!

(still no stamps in the post office)

A task is only completewhen the objective has been achieved.The Alchemist

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

well we still have no stamps in alhaurín... do you believe this, how can a post office have no stamps, i guess by now no where in town has them as we are seeing people we dont normally see in the shop hunting them down!

above photo restaurant in ronda!

today we were ladies that lunch back in the vinateca again in c/gerald brennan, had gambas pil pil, salmon main course and chocolate desert, very nice, it can be a bit slow in there sometimes and by the time we finish eating its usually about 430! so more an early dinner than a late lunch, i think!?! we were about about 20 or so today and always sit in a long table at the bottom of the restaurant, i think they like to keep us hidden out of the way! we dont make any trouble... honest!

mi amiga is back in the shop now, thank goodness, although she was away this morning restocking our card supply which was looking a bit sad, well we are all full up now, just a bit of stationary etc to do now to get our shelves back on track.

oh... we had a bit of rain last night! well a few drops, thought it was going to pour down but even a towel out the back didnt get damp! there was some thunder and lightening coming over from the direction of marbella... today has been a bit cloudy but up until this evening wasnt too bad, now it looks like we could get some real rain... its forcast so we shall see...

Courage is the great virtueof those who seek the spiritual path.The Valkyries

Friday, September 07, 2007

here we were at the alhaurín auction room this evening, here on the left is the guy from the tv, do you recognise him? those of you from the UK?

here he is towards the end of the auction doing his bit at the auctioneers platform.... trying to up the bids and do a good job!

there were lots of people there, we were intending to go anyway, but when we saw they were going to be filming we couldnt miss it! i think lots of other people thought the same thing!

did seem strange with all the cameras, although you soon forgot about them till you looked right at one and thought.... oh we´re being watched!

there were a few people who kept their heads down and shades on, you know, the ones out here in hiding.... just kidding....

afterwards franco and i ate out at the Rialto, an italian restaurant, no really! its really good there, the food is always excellant, the service very good and friendly, its up c/gerald brennan, sort of opposite super sol.

mi amiga is back at work tomorrow, cant wait to hear all her news of canada, and of course, just to have her back...

The most important experiences we can have arethose that take us to the very limit.That is the only way we learn,because it requires all our courage.